The subject matter of this invention relates to a hay preservative composition, especially useful for high moisture hay. One of the problems with high moisture hay is spoilage and decay caused by spontaneously generated heat.
The conservation of nutrients in alfalfa and other green plants for animal feed is dependent on the method of preservation. Ideally, alfalfa could be rapidly harvested and immediately dried for maximum nutrient preservation. However, this is at present a technologically unfeasible alternative. The quality of alfalfa hay is, however, dependent on the same variables as would be a perfectly preserved product including: rate of moisture removal, temperature at which moisture is removed, temperature of subsequent storage, original nutritional composition, microbial load, and length of time at various moisture levels in the drying process. All of these factors are themselves influenced by field conditions such as humidity, temperature, rainfall, wind velocity (which influences drying rate) and, finally, by characteristics of the plants themselves such as maturity, cutting, general growing conditions and finally variety of alfalfa.
Imperically it would seem that extremely rapid field drying to low moistures prior to baling would be an optimal situation. This process, unfortunately, results in considerable nutritional losses due to leaf loss and lowered dry matter yields. Recognition of this fact has led hay producers to bale at higher moisture levels. This practice, however, results in molding and subsequent feed refusal, mycotoxicosis and inferior performance of animals. Thus, there is a real and continuing need for development of hay preservatives to enable producers to attain maximum quality of feed.
Ideally, a hay preservative should possess at least the following attributes: it should prevent molding of the bales at moisture contents of 20% to 30%; it should preserve the green color of the hay; it should preserve nitrogen in readily available form; it should accelerate the drying rate of treated hay; it should enhance animal performance over untreated bales prepared at similar moisture levels; it should increase overall on-farm efficiency by reducing harvest and post harvest losses; and it should as a general matter increase farm income by producing more high quality bales.
It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a hay preservative composition, especially for use with high moisture hay such that the hay will still allow use as a maximum quality feed.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved hay preservative which possesses most of the above listed attributes of an "ideal" preservative.
Another objective of the present invention is to prepare a hay preservative composition, which synergistically acts to effectively reduce heat in high moisture hay.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a hay preservative which will provide a quality hay product as measured by temperature, dry matter recovery, nitrogen profile, color, and microorganism counts including yeasts and molds.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a hay preservative which comprises at least a mixture of an inorganic salt component of zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, and a water soluble copper ion source; and a second component which is an organic acid selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, propionic acid and sorbic acid.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a composition of three components which includes each of those just above listed in combination with a third component of microbial organisms, Streptococcus faecium.